Woodworker&#39;s bench-clamp.



UNrrn srarns PATENT CFFICE.

TO CHARLES J. HELM AND CNE-THIRD TO ED TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

WOODWORKERS BENCH-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed November 9, 1905. Serial No. 286,602.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HELM, a citizen of the United States, residingat Traverse City, in the county of Grand Traverse and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Woodworkers Bench-Clamp, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in bench-clamps for carpenters,cabinet-makers, and the like.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofWoodworkers bench-clamps and to provide an exceedingly simple andinexpensive one designed to dispense with the use of the tailpiece orscrew of a bench and adapted to hold materials of any size, shape, orthickness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bench-clamp of thischaracter adapted to save time in benchwork and to enable all of thework to be performed at the head of a bench, where the tools are usuallyplaced.

Also the invention has for its object to provide a woodworkersbench-clamp having a pivotally-mounted jaw adapted to fit tapering orother-shaped material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bench-clamp havingjaws adapted to be moved back out of the way to leave the upper face ofthe bench clear.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of constructionWithin the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a bench-clamp constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4L 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective vview of the slide or block of the cam-lever and thepivoted dogs for locking the slide or block. Fig. 6 is al detailperspective view illustrating the construction of the pivoted rear jawand the slide or block upon which it is mounted. Fig. 7 is a detail viewof the front jaw. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the cam-lever. Fig. 9 is atransverse sectional view showing a rear jaw rigid with its slide orblock.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

WARD ROESSER, OF

1 designates a guide designed to be countersunk in the upper face of abench in rear of the ordinary bench-clamp with its upper face ush withthe upper face of the bench, so that the latter will present a smoothupper face when front and rear clamping-jaws 2 and 3 are moved back out0f the Way. The guide, which is closed at its front end 4, is open atits rear end 5 and is substantially rectangular in cross section, beingcomposed of a horizontal bottom 6 and vertical sides 7, which areprovided with top iianges 8 and 9, extending inwardly and outwardly fromthe side walls of the guide and having iiat upper faces. Theoutwardly-extending or attachment flanges 9 are provided with suitableopenings for enabling the guide to be secured to a bench by screws orother suitable fastening devices but the fastening devices niay bearranged at any other desired point.

The front jaw 2 is provided with an integral slide or block 10, which isarranged within the guide and which is provided at opposite sides withupper recesses 11 to receive the inwardly-projecting flanges 8 of theyguide. The slide or block 10 is arched, being provided at its bottomwith an opening 12 to enable it to straddle and clear a' ratchetrack 13,extending longitudinally of the guide along the median line thereof and'spaced fromthe side walls 7. The front jaw 2, which in use is adaptedto be placed against the closed end 4 of the guide, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, is also adapted to bereadily moved back to the rear end of the guide to arrange it out of theway and to lift the upper face of the clamp flush with the top of the.bench to provide a clear surface.

The adjustable jaw 3 may be pivoted by a screw 14 or other suitablefastening' deviceto a block or slide 15, having upper side recesses 16to receive the inwardlyprojecting flanges ofthe longitudinal guide andarched IOO teeth, one

to provide a lower central recess or opening 17 to clear theratchet-rack. The pivoted jaw is adapted to readily adjust itself tovarious shapes; but, as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings, arigid jaw 18 may be employed. The jaw 18 is formed integral with its slide orblock 19 and is capable of adjustment longitudinally ofthe guide. Theslide or block of the pivoted jaw is provided with a projecting stud 20,which isengaged by a curved eccentrically-arranged flange 21 of acamlever 22, and the latter is pivotally mounted on a slide or block 23.The stud or projection is spaced from the rearjaw 3, and theeccentrically-arranged flange is interposed between the stud orprojection 20 and the said jaw 3, and when the cam-lever is swung in onedirection its curved eccentrically-arranged flange engages rthe rear jawand forces the latter toward the front jaw and into engagement with thework, whereby the same will be securely clamped and firmly held. Whenthe cam-lever is swung in the opposite direction, theeccentrically-arranged flange engages the stud or projection and movesthe rear jaw backward to release the work. The cam-carrying slide orblock 23, which is provided with upper recesses 24, is arched to clearthe ratchet-rack, and its upper portion 25 is bifurcated to receive apair of dogs or detents 26 and 27 which are mounted on a transverse pinor pivot 28.

`The dogs or pawls'26 and 27 are of unequal length and are arranged toengage ratchetof the pawls or dogs being halfway between the teeth whenthe other pawl or dog is in engagement with one ofthe teeth. By thisconstruction an adjustment equal to one-half of the distance between theteeth of the ratchet-rack is provided. The teeth are beveled at the rearside and are shouldered at the front side, soy that the pawls or dogs ofthe cam-carrying block or slide may be moved freely forward. The pawlsor dogs drop automatically into engagement with the teeth, and theirfront portions are adapted to be readily depressed to disengagethem fromthe rack. They are provided at their front ends with projecting portionsto facilitate their operation. The cam-lever is provided with a suitablehandle, and it is fulcrumed on a pivot 29 of the slide or block 23,being secured to the pivot by a key 3() or other suitable fasteningmeans.

When the front portions of the pawls or dogs are depressed to lift theirrear engaging portions from the ratchet-rack, the lever and the rear jaware adapted to slide freely in either direction along the guide. Theguide may be o'f any desired length, and the open rear end of the guidepermits the jaws to be entirely removed from the same, so that j'aws ofdifferent sizes may be employed to adapt the bench-clamp to differentkinds of work. The bench-clamp is designed for Woodworking andisespecially adapted for theuse of carpenters and cabinet-makers. Itwill hold material of any size, shape, or thickness, and it dispenseswith the tailpiece or screw usually employed on benches. As it isdesigned to be constructed of( pressed steel or steel castings or othersuitable material, itis exceedingly inexpensive in construction, and asit is arranged at the front of a bench in rear of the ordinarybench-clamp it is adapted to centralize the work at the front of thebench, where the tools are usually arranged,

and it will thereby save much time in benchwork.

Having thus fully described my invention,

Iwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A bench-clamp comprising a guide open at one end and closed at theother and having a fixed rack at the bottom, said guide being providedwith inwardly-extending longitudinal flanges, front and rear jawsslidablyy interlocked with the flanges of the guide and removable at theopen end of the latter, a cam for engaging one of thejaws, and meansengaging the rack for holding the cam against backward movement.

2. A bench-clamp, comprising a guide having a longitudinal ratchet-rackand provided with inwardly-extending lianges, front and rear jaws archedto straddle the ratchet-rack and interlocked with the inwardly-extendingjaws, and means for engaging the rack to lock the cam-lever againstbackward movement.

3. Abench-clamp, comprising a guide provided with a longitudinalratchet-rack and having inwardly and outwardly extending flanges, frontand rear jaws slidably interlocked with the guide and having archedportions to straddle and clear the ratchet-rack, a cam-lever forengaging one of the jaws, and means for engaging the rack to lock thecamlever against backward movement.

4. A bench-clamp, comprising a longitudinal guide substantiallyrectangular in cross,- section provided with a longitudinal ratchetrackand having inwardly-extending iianges, front and rear jaws slidable inthe guide and provided with slides or blocks having upper recesses toreceive the flanges of the guide and provided with bottom openings toclear the ratchet-rack, a cam-lever forengaging one of the jaws, a slidereceiving thecam-lever and having opposite recesses for the said flangesand also provided with a bottom opening to straddle the ratchet-rack,and means mounted on the latter slide for engaging the ratchet-rack. f

5. The combination ofk a guide having a ratchet-rack, front and rearjaws slidably interlocked with the guide, a slide, a cam-lever. mountedon the slide and engaging one of the jaws, and a pair of dogs pivoted tothe slide and arranged to engage the ratchet-rack.

ianges, a cam-lever for actuating o'ne of the IOO IZO

6. A bench-clamp, comprising a guide having a ratchet-rack, front andrear jaws, the rear jaw being provided with a stud or projection, aslide, a cam-lever fulcrumed on the slide and arranged to engage therear jaw and provided with a curved flange for engaging the stud orprojection, and means mounted on the slide for engaging the rack.

7. A bench-clamp, comprising a guide having a rack, front and rear aws,the rear jaw being slidable along the guide and pivotally mounted, aslide, a cam-lever pivotally mounted on the slide and arranged to engagethe rear jaw, and means mounted on the slide for engaging the rack.

8. A bench-clamp, comprising a guide having a rack, Jfront and rearjaws, the rear jaw being slidable along the guide and having a stud orprojection, a slide, a cam-lever fulcrumed on the slide and providedwith an eccentrically-arranged ilange interposed between the stud orprojection and the rear jaw and arranged to engage the same, and a pairof dogs or pawls of unequal length pivoted to the slide and arranged toengage the rack.

9. A bench-clamp," comprising a guide having a rack, a front jaw havinga slide or block interlocked with the guide and arched to straddle therack, a rear jaw slidably interl locked with the guide, a slide archedto clear the rack and interlocled with the guide and having its rear endbifurcated, a cam-lever fulcrumed on the bifurcated slide and engaginthe rear jaw, and a dog pivoted in the biurcation of such slide andengaging the rack.

10. A bench-clamp comprising a Xed jaw, a guide, a slide operating inthe guide, a movable jaw carried by the slide, a cam-lever for actuatingthe movable jaw, a slide carrying the cam-lever, and a detent forlocking the latter slide in its adjustment.

11. A bench-clamp comprising a guide, front and rear aws, the rear awbeing slidable along the guide and having a stud or projection, a slide,a cam-lever Jf'ulcrumed on the slide and provided with aneccentricallyarranged ilange interposed between the stud or projectionand the rear aw and engaging the same, and means for locking the slideagainst backward movement,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ahxed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK HELM.

Witnesses:

CI-IAs. M. BEERs, A. B. CooK.

